Fires can occur at any time of the day and night and in any place that is why proper fire extinguishers are essential for residential and commercial buildings in Singapore. Selecting the right type of fire extinguisher for your situation and types of fire that may exist in your working environment must be done correctly to ensure that fire can be put out effectively and quickly. In this guide, the various kinds of fire extinguishers that can be found in Singapore will be described as well as the factors that should be looked into when choosing the right ones.

Types of Fire Extinguishers

Fire extinguishers come in different classes and sizes that are meant for different classes of fires. The main types available in Singapore are:The main types available in Singapore are:

  • Water Fire Extinguishers: Class A extinguishers discharge water and can be used for fires that involve mainly common materials such as wood, paper, cloth, trash, plastics etc. The following tools should not be used on active electrical equipment.
  • Foam Fire Extinguishers: These discharge foam and are effective on Class A fires and Class B fires involving flammable liquids like grease, gasoline, oil, and so forth They operate by way of smothering the fire.
  • Dry Chemical Powder Fire Extinguishers: These extinguishers are filled with dry chemical powder and its operation can fights Class A, B and C types of fires. They are ideal to be used in fires that occurred in an area with live electrical apparatus because they do not transmit electricity. Some examples are Ranbaxy Sodium Bicarbonate 616 and Monoammonium Phosphate Powder.  
  • Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Fire Extinguishers: CO2 extinguishers expel carbon dioxide gas on the fire and these work on Class B and C fires. They are non-hazardous for the delicate electronics and perfect for offices with computers and servers.
  • Wet Chemical Fire Extinguishers: They can be filled with water and potassium salts and are used for special kind of fire known as Class K fires that involve cooking oils and animal fats found in the kitchen. 

The following is a list of considerations that should be made before purchasing: 

There are several important factors to take into account when choosing the right type of fire extinguishers for your property:There are several important factors to take into account when choosing the right type of fire extinguishers for your property:

1. Potential fire types: Don't forget to think about the types of fires that are most likely to occur in your surroundings or area. In home kitchens and restaurants, wet chemical extinguisher would be necessary in case of appliance fires whereas in the workshop areas they would require special extinguisher for chemical and electrical fires. 

2. Fire extinguisher locations: Flammable objects and appliances such as stoves, lights, electric tools, fridges, and batteries, should have portable extinguishers nearby where fires can begin, like in kitchens, workrooms, computer rooms, chemical stores, etc.

3. Ease of use: The fire extinguishers should be easily accessible for the staff members or occupants of the building at any one time when fire has started. Make sure they come with clear instructions and ensure your occupants know how to use the facades. 

4. Local certifications: In Singapore, the SCDF offers advice on the minimum number of fire extinguishers required, as well as the kinds of extinguishers necessary for particular kinds of properties. Make that any extinguishers that are bought conform to SCDF codes and standards.

5. Professional maintenance: Discharge: They require occasional expert maintenance checks in order to retain functional state. It is important for the pressure, amount of extinguishing agent, as well as operating parts to be examined at least once a year by a certified professional.

Chosing Fire Extinguishers for the Home

For Singapore residential homes, the homeowner can place one or more of these small portable extinguishers in areas such as the kitchen to act on emergent small stove and electrical fire. In home use, ABC dry chemical powder extinguishers are are general use extinguishers. They enable home owners to put off electrical fires, kitchen oil or grease fires and even wood or cloth fires without the use of water which actually fuels the fire. 

Fire blankets are also advocated by the emergency prepping professionals to be stored in kitchens because these can be easily draped over burning pots. Plus fire blankets do not pose any form of mess or come with the risks of polluting as a chemical agent does. On the other hand, domestic wet chemical extinguisher is suitable for use in kitchens since it douses hot cooking oils. Chargeable water mist spray cans is another small and handy type of sprays that have no weight and can be used in homes.

THE SELECTION OF FIRE EXTINGUISHERS FOR COMMERCIAL ENTERPRISES  

Companies and offices have laws regulating the need for portable extinguishers to be installed in workplaces and commercial facilities. They should be numbered and sized in relation to the floor area to be protected and the risks found out from the phase of risk assessment.  

Since most of the commercial sites can be at risk to class A ordinary combustible fires and class C electrical fires, ABC Dry Powder extinguishers that is compatible with every class of fire is the most suitable. For kitchens and the food and drink sector, such as restaurants and catering businesses, wet chemical extinguishers should be mounted on the wall nearby deep fryers, stoves, and ovens, which present a high risk of fires caused by oils and fats used in food preparation. 

Classes B fire risks involve flammable liquids that need special pressurized water and compatible foam extinguisher placements where a Class B fire can occur Such areas, include warehouses and storages rooms. Computer rooms and server rooms should have clean agent gas extinguishers like FM-200 or Novec 1230 which should not harm the delicate electrical equipment. Similarly, vehicle workshops need special foam and dry powder apparatus in handling fuel and chemical fires. The of importance however is that a full fire risk assessment should be carried out on all potential risks with regards to equipment, inventories and processes in the premise.

In this chapter, the legal requirements for fitting fire extinguishers and the step by step procedure of how it is done is explained.  

Part IV of Singapore's Fire Safety Act imposes the ‘Duty of Care' on the building owners and managers to provide and maintain sufficient firefighting equipment and measures. All extinguishers must conform to manufacturing guidelines provided by SPRING Singapore and are required to undergo a half-yearly test by a Licensed Fire Equipment Contractor.  

For new fire extinguisher installations it is mandatory to engage the services of a licensed contractor with SCDF, this is for commercial, industrial or public buildings. They will help them evaluate the risks that are involved and advise them on the right extinguisher models, capacity, places of installation as well as signage and this will ensure the client complies with the law. Contractors are required to fix any faulty items at least once a year during the annual maintenance check.

The general process for new extinguisher installation involves:The general process for new extinguisher installation involves:



• Consultations both on-site and for the proposal of the types and locations of extinguishers. 

• Recruiting and appointing building management

• Acquisition of qualified extinguishers  

• Suspending and fixing boxes, posting signs on the wall, and stands 

• Standard six-monthly professional check and re- certification

Selecting the correct fire extinguishers for property setting and defining fire threat level and installation/maintenance by professionals provide effective fire fighting measures in case of fire outbreak. The guideline describes key measures that should be taken by the owner of a premise to follow the law regulating security in Singapore. Avoid becoming a fire statistic and invest in fire preps today.